Purdue University-Main Campus Top Questions

I love Purdue! There is so much school spirit and there is always something going on. I play intramural sports and I'm involved in honor societies on campus. Its a well known school, so people always want to hear more about it when I tell them I'm going there.

I absolutely love Purdue! I think the diversity is a great part of the school. There are many international students and many others of different decent. Another aspect that I like about Purdue is that the students have a TON of school pride! The boilermaker special rides around campus and intensifies everyone's spirit. Also, sporting events are filled with students cheering on our team.

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My overall opinion of Purdue University is that it is among the top schools in the nation to attend for the advancement of education and life skills. One experience that I will always remember was the day I moved into my dorm at Purdue. It was one of the best days of my life. Before I even came to Purdue they made me feel like I was already a student by constantly sending me newsletters, updates, and letting me know of the opportunities awaiting me when I arrived. When I did get to Purdue, it did not disappoint. Prospective students may worry that the school seems very large and overwhelming. Although the university is large, it hosts many different organizations and clubs that allow for the personal connections of a smaller school. This made it really easy to make friends almost immediately. The fact that Purdue offers so many different opportunities for students to meet others and get involved on campus and in the local community is one thing that makes it so great. In fact, there are over 880 clubs and organizations that any student can get involved in! Not only is Purdue focused on student involvement but also faculty involvement. I truly believe that the university offers world class professors. I have never taken a class with a professor who was not willing to speak with or help a student individually- even in a class that has 400 people! This makes it much easier for students to excel in the classroom. Another favorite part about Purdue for me is the intense school pride. Thousands of students attend athletic events each week and when you walk through campus you will notice most people proudly sporting their Purdue apparel. There is even a small train driven around campus that students can ride on called "The Boilermaker Special." The Boilermaker Special makes its rounds each day to remind us of our Boilermaker pride! While all of these staples of Purdue make me proud to attend this university, the thing that I love most is that it provides students with endless opportunities each and every day. In my time here I have learned that my college experience is whatever I want to make it and at Purdue University the sky is the limit.

What is your overall opinion of this school?

The best thing about Purdue is as a University highly recognized by its engineering department and located in a area crowded by manufacture industry, Purdue has cooperated with a lot of companies and offers a lot of opportunities for students to actually practice the knowledge they have learned in class. If there was one thing I can change, I would say food. I just personally prefer traditional Chinese food. The main campus of Purdue is about 10 square kilometer, and I would say Purdue should consider as a large university, although the mjority of the land is not used for educational buildings. Their first react will be :" So, you must majoring in engineering. Recently, since I started to do the research with one of the most brilliant professor at Purdue, most of my time was spend at Forney, Purdue CHE building. I would guess you are asking for some sight about the West Lafayette City. Most of people in West Lafayette City are students. To be honest, there are not many entertainment facility nearby, however, I know a lot of my friends do prefer the cozy life style. I would say they are really helpful, however, do get more contact information from them if your questions are considered really relevant to some specific aspects. I would say Purdue never get too many controversies, may be about the gun control. Couple month ago, some students were trying to pass the bill to allow students to bring guns to campus, failed at the end. Not really, but we do think we are much better than IU :) Purdue alumni, Neil Armstrong, was the first astronauts who landed on the moon. I am currently the Director of Purdue University Chinese Students and Scholars Association, and one of the event I did last semester was to help facilitate the US and China Symposium for the 5th annual energy forum. As the international students groups keeps growing, some students nowadays might have trouble when getting involved with Purdue Campus activity.

I am a small town girl and moving away was an exciting, yet scary thought for me. I knew that there was so much I could learn from putting myself in a situation outside of my comfort zone and I was right! Purdue has been the perfect transition for me. It is a slightly larger town and a significantly faster paced world then where I come from and it ended up being perfect for me -- it was the next step for me in gaining independence and becoming career oriented.

I am a small town girl and moving away was an exciting, yet scary thought for me. I knew that there was so much I could learn from putting myself in a situation outside of my comfort zone and I was right! Purdue has been the perfect transition for me. It is a slightly larger town and a significantly faster paced world then where I come from and it ended up being perfect for me -- it was the next step for me in gaining independence and becoming career oriented. I feel very blessed to have a number of great friend groups here at Purdue. Purdue has a great freshmen orientation called BGR that really gets you involved on campus and meeting friends right away. I made a lot of friends from this that I am still friends with today! Purdue is located in West Lafayette and it most definitely is a "college town", but just a few miles down the road is Lafayette where a lot of graduate students live.

I am a small town girl and moving away was an exciting, yet scary thought for me. I knew that there was so much I could learn from putting myself in a situation outside of my comfort zone and I was right! Purdue has been the perfect transition for me. It is a slightly larger town and a significantly faster paced world then where I come from and it ended up being perfect for me -- it was the next step for me in gaining independence and becoming career oriented. I feel very blessed to have a number of great friend groups here at Purdue. Purdue has a great freshmen orientation called BGR that really gets you involved on campus and meeting friends right away. I made a lot of friends from this that I am still friends with today! Purdue is located in West Lafayette and it most definitely is a "college town", but just a few miles down the road is Lafayette where a lot of graduate students live. The food is great! Seriously. I lived in the dorms my first year, got an apartment, and then went back to the dorms. And the biggest perk of the dorms is simplicity. You don't have to cook and the food is actually good.

I am a small town girl and moving away was an exciting, yet scary thought for me. I knew that there was so much I could learn from putting myself in a situation outside of my comfort zone and I was right! Purdue has been the perfect transition for me. It is a slightly larger town and a significantly faster paced world then where I come from and it ended up being perfect for me -- it was the next step for me in gaining independence and becoming career oriented. People always react positively when I tell them I go to Purdue. I am about the graduate at the end of the month (December 18) with a degree in English. Purdue is not known for its liberal art program, but I have received a challenging and rewarding education here. And best of all, I feel that I am apart of a tight-knit family here. I am close with my professors and peers in my major. I have had bigger classes (core/elective classes) where my Professors don't know my name, but once I started really getting into my major (English classes) my teachers really got to know me. I have many Professors who have mentored and seen me through my 4 and 1/2 years here and I will be forever grateful for their support and advice. I feel very blessed to have a number of great friend groups here at Purdue. Purdue has a great freshmen orientation called BGR that really gets you involved on campus and meeting friends right away. I made a lot of friends from this that I am still friends with today! Purdue is located in West Lafayette and it most definitely is a "college town", but just a few miles down the road is Lafayette where a lot of graduate students live. The food is great! Seriously. I lived in the dorms my first year, got an apartment, and then went back to the dorms. And the biggest perk of the dorms is simplicity. You don't have to cook and the food is actually good.

I am a small town girl and moving away was an exciting, yet scary thought for me. I knew that there was so much I could learn from putting myself in a situation outside of my comfort zone and I was right! Purdue has been the perfect transition for me. It is a slightly larger town and a significantly faster paced world then where I come from and it ended up being perfect for me -- it was the next step for me in gaining independence and becoming career oriented. People always react positively when I tell them I go to Purdue. I am about the graduate at the end of the month (December 18) with a degree in English. Purdue is not known for its liberal art program, but I have received a challenging and rewarding education here. And best of all, I feel that I am apart of a tight-knit family here. I am close with my professors and peers in my major. I have had bigger classes (core/elective classes) where my Professors don't know my name, but once I started really getting into my major (English classes) my teachers really got to know me. I have many Professors who have mentored and seen me through my 4 and 1/2 years here and I will be forever grateful for their support and advice. I feel very blessed to have a number of great friend groups here at Purdue. Purdue has a great freshmen orientation called BGR that really gets you involved on campus and meeting friends right away. I made a lot of friends from this that I am still friends with today! Purdue is located in West Lafayette and it most definitely is a "college town", but just a few miles down the road is Lafayette where a lot of graduate students live. Many people are involved in fraternities and sororities on campus and when you're a freshmen it feel like everyone is, but this is not the case. I was able to find my niche outside of the Greek system. I have friends who are in the sororities, but being in a sorority takes up a lot of your time. It is almost like getting an instant friend group and it's a great way to get involved, but I wouldn't join JUST to make friends. I've found it rewarding to pave my own way! The food is great! Seriously. I lived in the dorms my first year, got an apartment, and then went back to the dorms. And the biggest perk of the dorms is simplicity. You don't have to cook and the food is actually good.

I think the best thing about Purdue is the wide variety of options in both education and recreation. If I was to change anything about Purdue, I would probably just do away with 7:30 am classes. Purdue is about perfect in size. While it is a large campus with a massive student population, the campus has small sections where students from each major actually attend classes. Most everyone I have ever told about Purdue has known exactly what I was talking about. The reaction is usually positive, unless they are supporters of a rival school. Most of my time on campus is spent in the recreational sports complexes. I enjoy the exercise facilities we have available. West Lafayette, home of Purdue, is definitely a college town. I like all the excitement and places to spend time here, but I also like that there are places to get away from it all. In my mind the administration at Purdue is solid. I have only had direct interaction with them once and it was regarding a suggestion I made. They were very helpful and actually pursued my idea. The biggest controversy I have seen recently was the firing of Pablo Malavenda, the former Associate Dean of Students. Malavenda was arrested for shoplifting and this incident outraged students and faculty alike. Purdue is home to very proud fans. It is rare to go anywhere on campus where you do not see people wearing jerseys or other gear to support the Boilermakers. One experience I will always remember was when I first saw the Boilermaker Extra Special driving through campus. The Extra Special is a golf cart sized vehicle that has been mocked up to look like a train. The students go nuts when it is around and it really made me laugh that day. The most frequent student complaint right now ties back into the recreation center I mentioned earlier. After many years, Purdue is finally getting a new one. The renovation has sent most of the equipment to smaller facilities around campus and has made it a bit inconvenient for students to find places to exercise and play sports.

I love Purdue University. There is so much diversity and so many ways to get involved. Purdue is a well known university and is given much respect. When I tell people I go to Purdue, they are really happy for me and know that I'm doing something good with my life. I came from a small town and not many students came to Purdue. Coming to Purdue has been on of the best decisions of my life. I have met so many great people and professors. Not to mention, the athletics here. I love going to football and basketball games with all of my friends! I've even been on TV a couple of times!

The absolute best facet about Purdue is the seemingly boundless opportunities for involvement and experiences. From top tier intercollegiate athletics to over 200 study abroad programs across the globe to leadership positions in over 950+ student organizations, Purdue sets no limits on a student's ability to learn and grow.

I honestly don't know if I could have made a better pick of colleges. My friends are great, the academics are rigorous yet rewarding, our sports events are some of the top events in the country, and I love the fact of being right between Chicago and Indianapolis! I'm involved with a lot of different facets of student life, and I know that Purdue's overall personality enabled this to happen.

This is a beautiful and amazing campus. It's focused on research and academy thus is a good place for those who really want to get themselves into college study. Agriculture, Engineering are the best colleges in this university.

I love Purdue Univeristy, plain and simple. I could NEVER see myself at any other instituition and feel as in touch and connected as I do here. I can't say there is one BEST thing about Purdue but if I had to choose I would say the culture overall is it's greatest asset. Being a large, public university of nearly 40,000 one may think they can get lost in the crowd and become just another number. This is the furthest thing from the truth here at Purdue. The culture is more of that of a very close knit community than a large college campus. Another big perk is the amount of respect you get when you tell someone you attend Purdue, it is a prestigious University and is considered by some to be an Ivy League caliber school of the midwest which I would agree with. At the same time, Purdue also offers ample opportunity to get involved and become more than just a student, you can become a leader. For such a large school, the culture allows for it to seem much smaller than it is and provide for many opportunities for student success inside and outside of the classroom.

Purdue is the perfect size: enough people that there's always something new and interesting going on but not too big that you never feel like you meet anyone. We've got a good reputation - at least academically - but people seem surprised that I like it here. I guess everyone thinks that Purdue isn't any fun but that's simply not true. Though, to be honest, there's really not a whole lot going on around West Lafayette, Indiana. Not much of a college town feel but trust me, you can always find something, especially during weekends and days of sporting events. Tailgating is huge and camping out for basketball tickets and games is standard practice. It's safe to say we're all proud to be Boilermakers and wholeheartedly support our teams, even if football is terrible. The rivalry with Indiana is what you'd expect - intense, fun, and exciting. It won't be making headlines like OSU-Michigan or Auburn-'Bama but it's fun and both sides love it. We've got a lot of sports history and pride so if you don't like football or basketball either learn to love them or miss out on a huge part of the Purdue experience.

Purdue has an excellent academic reputation and good program specializations, including engineering and management. It was not as strong in the liberal arts when I attended; I don't know if that has changed. I do know that having Purdue University on my resume has opened a lot of doors for me. When I lived on the West Coast, I was frequently asked, "Purdue—isn't that an Ivy League school?" I did a lot of partying while in school. Purdue students definitely love to party, starting at 7 a.m. on football Saturdays.

Purdue is the best of both worlds. It is a Big Ten university with big sporting events and about 40,000 students. That being said, 72{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of classes have 28 students or less. The personal attention of small schools with the diversity of a large university. There's ton to do in Lafayette/West Lafayette and on campus as well. There's a show/concert/play almost every weekend, movies right on campus, games, and we even have a bowling alley in our Union. There's a free bus system for students that can take you anywhere in both towns. There are 800 students organizations on campus so you can always find something to join. My favorite experience at Purdue has to be Boiler Gold Rush, the first year orientation program. It's held every year a week before classes. I met some of my closet friends during that week. Now I'm involved as an upperclassman. I was a Team Leader last summer which means I had a group of 10 first year students and I was their leader for the week. The week consists of late nights at the union and co-rec, comedians, campus tours, and of course meeting some of the greatest people ever! I only have two complaints. There are 7:30 am classes and it's cold here. The wind tend to makes it worse than what it is.

Purdue is a large and busy public school. There is always a lot going on at Purdue. The school features over 800 different clubs and very competitive Big 10 sports teams. All of the hustle and bustle brings a slight downside to Purdue: its easy to fall between the cracks early. There is a lot going on so unless you assert yourself it is possible to fall behind early. On the flip-side, the University is brimming with opportunity to be a leader and excel if you reach for it. Like most schools, Purdue is what you make of it: if you sieze your chances it can be all you dreamed of in a college. But if you slack off it is easy to fall behind.

Purdue is the type of place that you can really call your "home" away from home! Every time i leave Purdue for a weekend and come back, i always feel refreshed. It may not be the nicest campus or have the prettiest buildings, but nothing about "home" is perfect. "Its happening here..." is a phrase i remember seeing on a Purdue brochure when i was in high school and there were completely right! A lot of things happen here at Purdue, both good and bad. However, we're like our own little community. Yes there is drama, yes stange things happen, but does it make the place more interesting? YES!

I went to a large high school, and I learned that a larger school means more opportunities for students. I was attracted to Purdue because of all the opportunities for students, such as internships, study abroad opportunities, and even the chance to root for successful sports teams. The large environment is great because there are always new people to meet and places to explore. Plus, whenever the size gets too overwhelming, I can be involved in a smaller environment, such as my college or a club or organization.

That's just it. It's HUGE. The school has almost 40,000 undergrads which can make for both an awesome experience as well as a sometimes frustrating or scary one. Having this many people on campus means the diversity around campus abounds, whether it be cultural, financial, educational, religious, political, the list goes on. The fact that Purdue has the capacity to accept so many students while maintaining its educational rankings around the world means that there is no "cookie cutter" Purdue student. This also means there are limitless people to meet and have fun with, hundreds of organizations to join, big athletics (though football is hurting this year), and countless majors and classes to take. Purdue really has the organizational capacity to support you and whatever you're trying to do in the next 4 years. Unfortunately, this can also cause some organizational problems. We do have multiple computer systems for classes to post notes and homework on and it can get annoying to have to check 3 different school's sites for updates if you're in a chem class, a management class, and a language class. It can also be frustrating not having the "reputation" you did in high school with the faculty. Because they have so many students, you may have to introduce yourself a few times. In high school many of my teachers had seen me numerous times around the building and by the time I was in their class, they already had heard things and might bend the rules if need be; don't expect that to come without some work at a school of this size! This can also be somewhat scary when it comes to the fact that you probably won't recognize someone walking through campus everyday, especially for your first two years. This was definitely different for me coming from a school where I at least recognized the majority of the people in the halls during passing, if not knew their names.

Purdue is a large university with small schools within it. After getting well acquainted with the campus it feels smaller. Purdue is a well respected university with good programs and successful alumni. Boilermakers show their pride daily with apparel and attendance at different events. Being a Krannert School of Management student, I spend most of my time either in my dorm, or in Krannert or Rawls Hall. They are good places to do group work and meet new people.

The best thing about Purdue is the people. Although there are close to 40,000 students, you don't always tell. Yea there are a lot of students walking around between classes but it's definitely manageable and doesn't seem too big. The students seem genuinely nice. It's not uncommon for you to see a random student stop to help a vistor find his or her way. I really like how the buildings are all fairly close together. All my classes are in one of the farthest places from the residence hall area and it takes me less than 15 minutes to walk there. There is also a bus system in case you live further or it's cold outside. The pride of students is awesome, too. Although the football team hasn't done that great this year students still go to the games and show that they bleed black and gold. The basketball games are also a great thing to go to. Overall, Purdue is a big school but the friendliness of the students helps make it seem smaller.

I always relate Purdue to the first time I visited campus. I'm from Missouri, so in my mind Purdue was more of a name than an actual place. Consequently, when I first visited I got lost multiple times. When I asked for directions I saw what marks the difference between Purdue and some other universities I had toured: instead of simply telling me where to go, the people I asked for help from took the time to walk me to where I needed to go. I still see staff, faculty, and students helping each other out in this same manner every day. It makes the Purdue student body a community. If you visit the campus you'll see it for yourself, it's really cool!

I absolutely love Purdue, because it is such a big school, but feels so much like a community. Around 39,000 students (undergrad and grad) go here, but the campus is so condensed that it feels a lot smaller. Also, people here are very friendly and down to earth; I've never had so many doors opened for me in my life! The students help each other out very willingly, and even the faculty and staff really do want to help you succeed. The atmosphere is very welcoming. People often ask why I left such a nice big ten town to go to a school in the middle of nowhere; I will say that Purdue is in the middle of nothing but corn; but just because the surrounding area is not lively doesn't mean the campus isn't. Because there's not much to do off campus, people tend to stay on and make the campus itself very lively. If you get out there and get involved, there are so many opportunities for you.

One thing that really stands out about Purdue to me is the people. Almost always, if I'm walking a few steps behind someone and they get to a door, they'll pause and hold it for me instead of just letting it close behind them. That seems like a small gesture, but it really speaks to the atmosphere at Purdue. Regardless of if you're at a football game or just walking down the street, there is a strong sense of unity and the feeling that everyone is looking out for each other in a way. The faculty and students are all really down to earth, which makes the campus seem a lot smaller and welcoming.

I love going to a large university. During my first campus visit I remember thinking that Purdue was too big and that I would not be able to get around campus. However, once I got here and learned my way around I quickly realized that a car it not necessary at all. The bus system is great here and they can take you anywhere that you would need to go... the mall, the airport, target. Being in the School of Management is like going to a small school while being at a large university. Through each individual school there are many ways to get involved and get to know your classmates so you will always be able to find a study buddy!

The best part about Purdue is the people; it is a very friendly, welcoming university. The faculty and staff are more than willing to go out of their way to help students succeed. Also, when admitted to Purdue, you are accepted directly to the program/major you are interested in, so when you arrive on campus you already have a "home" - a small school at a large university. It helps make Purdue feel smaller and helps you build a network faster. My favorite things about Purdue are: 1. The people 2. Athletics 3. Study abroad opportunities My least favorite things about Purdue are: 1. The lack of integration among electronic resources 2. The location - although it is great that most everything in West Lafayette revolves around Purdue, I sometimes wish there was more to do off of campus (more culture, etc.) 3. The weather - 80s and sunny everyday would be MUCH better :)

The most important thing to know about Purdue is the size. We have almost 40,000 students here, which may seem like a lot of people. But once you get here, it does not seem like that many. You don't really realize how many people you pass by each day. And with so much diveristy on campus, it's easy to get plugged in, which makes Purdue seem smaller.

I love Purdue's size. At 40,000 students, it's a bustling place. At the same time, there are so many student organizations and other ways to get involved around campus, and that fact makes Purdue feel quite small. Getting involved in campus, building a multitude of relationships, and a nurturing a love for walking will make Purdue feel like a small campus with huge opportunities.

The best thing about Purdue is its traditions. From football and breakfast club, to Grand Prix and fountain runs....there are just certain things that will always belong to Purdue and it's students. I would certainly change those 7:30am lectures if possible, what a difference having an 8:30am class can make! When you attend a Big 10 school expect a lot of students with a lot of spirit. This is what makes Purdue so great. You are in West Lafayette, IN and you are meeting people from all over the world, literally! You notice there are majors you have never heard of, organizations you didn't know you could join and that every person talks a little differently (Chicago, East Coast, Europe, West Coast). Purdue is not a walk in the park. It is fun, but you will have to work hard and study to grab your 4-yr degree from this institution. The career advisors are very encouraging and the administration is generally accessible. Purdue's campus is a walking campus. There are not a lot of bikes and there is not point in trying to park near campus. That said you will find little spots that are great to spend some time relaxing or studying on campus. I always found my self focused deep in the stacks of the HSEE library and relaxing near the bell tower benches. The main complaint from students is there is not enough activity in West Lafayette. The city is working hard to bring in more stores, cafes, and bars for students.

About Engineering at Purdue: the biggest problem is that the admission requirements are lax compared the reputation that Purdue would like to maintain. Consequently, after you arrive you are subjected to a number of "weed-out" classes meant to separate the people who should be there and from those who shouldn't. That selection should have been determined by the application process, which sadly when I attended was little more than a request for SAT scores and a high school transcript. No recommendation letters or even a personal statement was required. I found these weed-out classes excessively competitive and stressful. These classes were not geared toward learning and exploration.

Purdue University has a really good name in the state of Indiana. More importantly it has an excellent name outside of the Midwest. When some of my relatives heard I was attending Purdue, they were really impressed. On the East and West coasts apparently Purdue is thought of as an Ivy League school. As far as getting value from your degree, you can't beat that kind of reputation from a state funded university. I also frequently see Purdue in the national news (sports, Rube Goldberg contest, research projects, etc). This again just adds value to my degree.

One great thing about Purdue is that there are so many clubs/organizations, etc for students to get involved in. You can get involved in anything you want, and there are tons of opportunities for leadership. Another great thing is that the town Purdue is in, West Lafayette, IN, is built around the camus. Therefore, there are lots of restaurants and things to do. One other great thing about Purdue is the Greek Life. Being Greek is big at Purdue. A lot of people "rush" sororities and fraternities, and there are coutnless Greek houses on campus. Purdue has the 2nd largest Greek community in the nation. Bad things...Purdue is not very safe. There are always attempted abductions, rapes, assults, robberies, etc in the paper and on the news daily (even stabbings, shootings, etc). The police spend most of their time giving traffic violations, instead of taking care of important things. The facutly at Purdue, at least in my experience, are not very helpful. I am in pharmacy, and the faculty seems more interested in failing students than helping them to pass.

The best thing about Purdue is the student oriented system. Everything is according to the students. All the professors and TA's are really nice. They pay attention to you and you feel yourself important. The other best thing would be that there are many international people at Purdue. If you are an international you really don't feel weird since many people around you are just the same with you. Purdue has a very large campus, but it is slightly full of buildings. Purdue is not as popular as Berkeley here in Turkey. But the professors or the people who have an idea about Purdue says that it should be really nice to have been there. Since I didn't have a car and I lived at Hawkins Hall I was always on campus. I think there is a lot of school pride that makes students not to be aware of the other good colleges or successful people. The most frequent student complaints should be the weather. It is so cold that you really do not want to leave home.

It's a big school with something for EVERYBODY. If you want to do something, you can probably do it here. You won't have any trouble making some great friends, getting a great education, and completely changing your life, if you put yourself out there and try new things. Purdue is a lot of fun, but it is very easy to let the homework and classes get really overwhelming and a lot of times its unavoidable. Life gets tough sometimes with all the work, more or less depending on your major. But there are definitely ways to escape and enjoy life at Purdue too. It is what you make it...

the size of the campus grounds seems small, but its pretty good, i don't like how there are frats and sorts in the middle of campus, kinda separates the campus, the village area, chauncy hill, is kinda small, the lafayette mall is really far away

The ivy-covered red brick, and other aging architecture give Purdue a lovely backdrop, set in a location much greener than many dense, urban college towns. The university defines West Lafayette, and instills it with (often dubious) character. It is a huge, sprawling campus where parking is often infeasible, and we get about most often on foot, bicycle, or bus. The departments vary considerably in size, and behave territorially. Students must be resourceful and assertive in order to satisfy their needs. Outsiders tend to perceive Purdue as either an engineering institution or an American football team. Truth be known, it is also hundreds of other intriguing things, but they are not readily advertised. I spend most of my time in libraries, laboratories, my office, my apartment, or beneath a shade tree, when the weather permits. The university administration typically conducts its business behind closed doors in a majestic stone-pillared palace, and largely ignores external influence. This has led to some disheartening incidents. For example, one of the largest and most active labor groups worked for years to negotiate the enforcement of a university ban on sweatshop production of university apparel. In what seemed an ethically straightforward matter (not to mention an easy public-relations opportunity), the administration actually opposed the reforms, and contracts with slave labor even to this day. Purdue's police were stationed in that stone building, and various other public locations, where they arrested many students for persisting in the matter. This year's new president offers some new hope. Time will tell what develops. In the community as a whole, there is a tremendous sense of loyalty to the university, frequently bordering on bigotry. Associations with the school are seen intermingled with associations of nation, race, academic discipline, economic caste, and religion. People take great pride in Purdue, to the exclusion of what they personally consider incompatible with its values. You must decide for yourself what to make of that.

I spend most of my time at the Union. While I am very involved with the Purdue Student Union Board (PSUB), I'm pretty sure I would spend most of my time there anyway. There is a lot of seating ranging from normal tables to comfy couches. People study and sleep there the entire day. Almost every week there is a really cool PSUB events going on, so people can relax and have fun at the same time in the Union or around it. There is also an array of awesome restaurants and venues in the ground floor, and every place looks very chic. It is, to me, the center of campus and the place where you first come as a freshman. It will be a place you will always end up at somehow, and it will always be inviting.

Purdue is the ideal size for college! Although it may be overwhelming and seem large at first it only gets smaller as the years go on. It is a place that one can evolve and grow as an individual all four years. The best thing about Purdue is the extreme spirit. As one can expect sports revolve around our football and basketball teams. We play in a a very competitive league (the big ten) providing excellent entertainment. Purdue is the typical college town. It has a Walmart, target, any fast food one can think of, but the local pubs and bars run the show. It isn't uncommon to hear about a "bar crawl". In addition Greek life is huge. It creates a mini community at Purdue. Many would explain our campus as Greeks vs. GDI's (Gosh Darn Independents ... to say it nicely). The most recent controversy was B.A.P. vs. no B.A.P. and our student government presidential elections. B.A.P. stands for boiler advancement program which would increase tuition but provide more money to student organizations. The student president election was also controversial. It is very popular and campaigns are taken very seriously. The last debate was Barrack vs. Hillary. One can often find politics being discussed sparked by the many political speakers brought to Purdue.

Sports are great! go to them. Good way to meet people. Also play intramurals.

Purdue has some great resources but what really nice is that if you can't find what you're looking for it's easy to get out. Money might be an issue, but there's a shuttle that runs to indianapolis airport and from there you can get to where ever you need. I'm more of a city person so I like to travel to places like New York and Boston (for some reason I haven't made it to Chicago yet). From my experience, having a car on campus would be a major plus.

Purdue is a great place to go because as a student, you allowed to develop into who you want to be. There are so many opportunities to develop yourself both academically and socially. Purdue also has such a great number of studies that if you decide against what your first thoughts were, there are many more that might catch your fancy. Lastly, having an education from Purdue University is highly sought after. Many schools have top ranking programs in the nation.

Our school is huge, but its amazing how in the 4 years I've been here how many people you see over and over again that you kinda know but aren't even friends with. One thing I would change about this school is I would create a Full fledged med school, you can take your undergrad and first 3 years of med school here but you have to finish somewhere else. Also you can take pre law here and there is an over abundance of law classes, yet you have to get a law degree somewhere else. This year I have spent most of my time in the Union, it is the best place to meet with friends and study. However, there are so many hidden places that are better to study in if you really need to get work done. My favorite is the 3rd floor of Krannert, but they are remodeling it this summer and will be amazing next year. If you're over 21 the friday's special at Harry's is a must. It is a super huge burger, pound of fries, and soft drink with free refills for 6 bucks. Our last President built more buildings on campus then all the other presidents combined, he also raised a billion dollars and has done a lot for this community. Our current President is France Cordova. She is the first woman president of our campus and 11th overall. She is most famous for being the youngest, and first woman to serve as Chief Scientist at NASA, she also is an accomplished astrophysicist. She has made a commitment at Purdue to focus on campus improvement; such as student satisfaction and beautification. Macky our basketball arena is undergoing a 100 million dollar renovation that includes a student athlete resource center donated by alumni Drew Brees. Another Alumnus Neil Armstrong recently donated the new engineering building compete with a statue of young Neil outside. Our baseball stadium is being relocated and upgraded on McCormick Road where a new sports complex is developing away from the campus sprawl. In the baseball diamond's spot will reside part of our new recreational sports center and new dorms. The new rec center will be complete with leisure pool and 3 story rock climbing wall. Parking is the largest complaint but it pays for the campus and really shouldn't be a big issue. Our mascot is really the Boilermaker Special (a train) instead of Purdue Pete which is commonly thought of as our mascot. Purdue Pete was created by University bookstore in 1954 as a advertising gimmick and was adopted shortly thereafter by the university. Less commonly explored by students is Lafayette downtown. Lafayette downtown is full of amazing bars, restaurants and live music but since its a long walk from Campus most students stick to Chauncey which is the bar scene on campus. Campus House Christian Church is located on the main road on campus and the building is shaped like a mushroom. This church is the most contempory available and is packed by college students every sunday at each of the Church's 5 services. It is tradition not to walk under the bell tower until you graduate because everytime you do you add a year to your education. Also Purdue used to have an annual bonfire to burn an effigy of an IU cheerleader but that was banned in the 80's due to the sexism. Our two biggest events are grand prix week and breakfast club. Grand Prix is a go cart race, but is really designed as a week to get blitzed. Breakfast club is a tradition where everyone gets dressed up in the crazyiest costumes and gets to the bars before 7am of football saturdays and grand prix saturday and drinks until they are led to the football game. Each year at least one student takes on the role of the Pope and is a crowd favorite. Also, tons of Popes make it out to the Purdue vs Notre Dame game to prove their undying love for Purdue. Wolf park is 20 min north of campus and is the second largest wolf inclosure in America and is a great date spot on friday when they let the wolves attack a buffalo. Seriously. Also the Wabash Heritage Trail is a great place to hike. The trail ends at a war memorial for the soldiers and Indians that died at the battle of Tippecanoe. The ravines is the best value for golf, but Ackerman Hills is the closest and is where the Purdue team plays. It is also home of the 2008 NCAA golf championship. Frank Loyd Wright built a home here and it is the host of live music in the summer.

The best thing about Purdue is that it is a Big Ten school. When you graduate from Purdue you can be almost guarenteed to get a great job, regardless of your major of study. One thing I'd change about Purdue are the people. I know it sounds broad but generally as a student population the people at Purdue just aren't friendly. I transferred from another college in Indiana where everyone was nice to everyone, says hello, and holds the door open for the person behind them every time. At Purdue you will get none of that. Everyone only cares about themselves and their group of friends. The school is TOO BIG. It is so hard to meet people unless you are a greek. And the greek community is outrageous here. If you're not greek, you're in the minority. I spend most of my time on campus outside. I love the grounds. There are two fountains on campus that are absolutely beautiful and are so nice to sit by and socialize or study. It is so nice to walk to class during the spring and fall, very beautiful. The best thing about being a Purdue is the all-famous "Den Pop". A local store near campus called the Den sells fountain sodas for way cheap. There is usually a line going out the door during finals week for students looking for a caffeine fix. Purdue's administration is acceptable. I like the new President, France Cordova. She seems to have the students interests in mind with a lot of the changes she has been making (new website, new and easier ways to register for classes, etc). The salaries the administration makes are completely out of control but I guess that is the same at every university. Another great thing about Purdue is the Purdue student newspaper (independent) called the Exponent. Everyone and I mean everyone reads this paper on a daily basis. The writers are decent and stories for the most part unbiased. I especially like reading the letters to the editor. There are some seriously heated debates in this section, sometimes the debates go on for weeks. The biggest recent controversy on campus was the Wade Steffey case. Wade Steffey, a Purdue Freshman, went missing one friday night. The police and community searched for Wade for weeks (including Purdue staff) and finally his body was found on campus. The body was found in a dorm electrical room that was supposed to be off-limits to everyone except maintenance. There are locks on the doors and small signs that say "keep out". Obviously someone (a Purdue staffer) did not lock the door as they are supposed to and Wade ended up losing his life. It's not talked about too much about how Purdue screwed up and that bothers me. Also, when Wade went missing I didn't see a comradere I would expect from a student body. Sure, people volunteered to help look, but not near as many that should have. I didn't 'feel the love' as you should during a tragedy. Like I said, in general Purdue students only care about themselves. As far as school pride, there's only really a feeling of pride during the football season. Other than that, school pride goes only as far as wearing your Purdue tee to class. The most unusual thing about Purdue is the foreign population, it's one of the biggest in the nation. Purdue educates a lot of Asians and Indians. When you come to Purdue you don't expect that. Also another unusual thing about Purdue is the smell. The city of West Lafayette and Lafayette smell awful almost 24/7. There are several factories in the area that create seriously foul smells that can almost knock you over. Most of the time it doesn't reach campus but it's there as soon as you step outside of campus. It is the worst in the summer! One last unusual thing about Purdue is the roads. We go to a school full of engineers but the roads around campus and West Lafayette were put together with no sense. Most of the roads are one-ways and it takes forever to get anywhere.

Best thing about Purdue: large amount of classes cover a lot of interests One thing I'd change: Staff can be very rude, it feels like they don't care about you and sometimes it feels like the office staff completely hates their jobs Fairly large campus How do people react when I tell them I go to Purdue: So you study engineering? or Wow! Where do I spend most of my time on campus: libraries or the Union most people know of Purdue because it is part of the Big Ten School Pride?- There is a mix between hard core school spirit to people who are only attending Purdue because of the university's name on a resume Anything unusual about Purdue?- tons and tons of squirrels all over campus One experience I'll always remember- Freshman year going to all of the football games, they are the greatest with the student season tickets, it makes it affordable and the environment of the student section is amazing Most frequent student complaints- among myself and friends, lack of university care. I really feel like I'm just a number to the university staff a lot. This doesn't count for my counselor or some of the professors, but it really does for housing staff and anyone in financial aid or dealing with the bursar's office

Purdue is a great place to meet new people. I didn't know a single person coming to school and I now have a large group of friends that I love hanging out with and partying with. The social scene is so much fun. Almost all of the big parties are fraternity parties which can get pretty out of hand. Sorority girls are a lot of fun to party with. They're always outgoing and ready to have a good time. Academically, Purdue is one of the best in the nation. The engineering program pushes students to learn and creates a fun and interactive environment.